Heavy duty gas depolarized dry battery



Oct. 28, 1952 M. R. HATFIELD 2,615,931

HEAVY DUTY GAS DEPOLARIZED DRY BATTERY Filed Dec, '7, 19.48 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 CHLORINE GAS INVENTOR MARCUS R. HATFIE LD 'EAI QOERNEY I Oct. 28, 1952 F L 2,615,931

HEAVY DUTY GAS DEPOLARIZED DRY BATTERY Filed D96. 7, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 CHLORINE GAS INVENTOR 17 MARCUS R. HATFIELD 'ATTORNEY Patented Got. 28, 1952 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 2,615,931 HEAVY DUTY" GAS DEPOLARIZED in? BATTERY Application December 7, 1948, Se1-ial No. 63,945 1'5 Claims. (01. 13'64'6) This invention relates to a deferred action, gas depolarized, dry cell and has for an object to increase the capacity of such a cell. Another object is to provide such a cell having an improved shelf life prior to activation.

It is frequently desirable that gas depolarized dry cells of the type described in the pending application of Zimmerman and: Cahoon, Serial No. 53,174, filed October 7,1948, now U. 8. Patent cell is maintained du'rin'gstorage' in an inert atmosphere, that is, surroundedby a non-activat ing and non-corrosive gas, for instance, in nitro-" gen, which may be held-in the container at at-- mospheric or higher or lower pressure. Cells of the type contemplated herein have good shelf life when stored under these conditions, but when the activating gas is admitted to the container it is necessary thoroughly to purge the cell of the inert gas and to replace it with the activating gas. ode, the cell does not operate at maximum efliciency and the nearer the pocketsof inert gas are to the anode the more pronouncedly nonuniform is the corrosion pattern of that surface of the anode nearest the cathode, indicatingincomplete and inefiicient use-of the anode;

According to thisinventionthe corrosion-area on the anode has been increased, thus increasing the output of the cell-by eliminating any pockets of inert gas and allowingthe depolarizing gas to penetrateallportions ofthe porous cathode. This has been made possible by flow ing the depolarizing gas through all portionsof the porous cathode portion without resorting to a vacuum. Specifically, the inert gas is thus purged from the cathode bythe incoming depolarizing gas being under pressure and flowing through all parts of the cathode. A bafile or barrier is used to cause the stream of gas to flow in only one direction through the cathode from one exposed side to" the other or radiallythrough If pockets of inert gas remain in'the' cath-= a cylindrical cathode having a, central bore. The

inert gas driven out need not be removed but may be compressed by the depolarizing gas in a corner or pocket of a compartment separated from another compartment on the depolarizing gas supply side of the cathode.

Referring to the drawing, Fig; 1 is a longitudinal section through one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section onthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an axial view through another embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4'4 of Fig. 1.'

A chlorine supply pipe I0 leads to a casing ll' hermetically enclosing the battery I2 of cell elements illustrated in which the zinc anodes l3 have layers of immobilized electrolyte material It arranged on one side of them. A cellophane separator I5 is placed between the electrolyte layer l4 andthemoist' portion l6 of the cathode to prevent their mechanical intermixture while yet allowing'the passage of current between them. Each cell is of the type having its cathode divided in two portions, the diffuser portion ll through whichgas' is passed and the wet mix portion l6.

l'ri order to eliminate the possibility of dead gas spaces in the diffuser portion of each cathode,-the depolarizing gas is directed through each difiuser under pressure in order to activate the battery quickly and provide aheavy duty type cell when the elements are of substantial area. To insure that the depolarizin gas entering through the pipe Ill passes through each diffuser portion Illa partitionor bafile I8 preferably of insulating material separates the inlet from the outlet portions of' the casing. This partition I8 may also serve asa positive clamping means for the stack ofcell element's, if desired, or any other insulated clamping means may be used. The

outlet compartment IQ of the casing need not be connected toany vacuum pump to insure the depolarizing: gas passingthrough and purging all the difiuser portions-of any pockets of inert gas. It has been foundthatshelf life of the battery is high whenthe inside of the casing is filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen instead of being exhausted. A Any inert gasin" the p'brefs'of the diffuser isfiushed out by" the depolarizing gas stream rushing through the diffuser on o ening' thevalves ohthe inlet mien.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the supply pipe Illa for the chlorine or other depolarizing gas enters an axial passage or compartment 20 within cell elements which are of generally circular shape. A peripheral space 2! is provided entirely around each of the cells so that the depolarizing gas moves radially outward from the central passage 20 in all directions. A top space 23 above the end plate 22 is not deemed necessary inasmuch as the supply pipe [a has a snug fit in the end plate 22 to insure the depolarizing gas passing radially outward through each of the cathode diffuser portions into compartment l9a, which includes space 2|. The casing Ila at the bottom contacts the battery 12a of a circular shape illustrated. The zinc anodes 13a have the immobilized electrolyte layers Ma contiguous one side of the zinc while the cellophane separators Ilia prevent mechanical intermixture between wet mix Ilia and immobilized electrolyte layer Ida. The wet mix portions lGa have relatively dry diffuser portion i la and the depolarizing gas passes through the diffuser portions Ha to insure rapid entry of the depolarizing gas into the liquid.

Among the advantages of this invention may be mentioned increased output capacity for the battery by reason of the fact that more depolarizing gas is taken into aqueous solution rapidly. The difiuser portions are free of any dead pockets of gas and when the battery is stored in an inert atmosphere of nitrogen, for example, at atmospheric or higher pressure, there is less danger of air leaking into the battery than would be the case if a vacuum were created in the casing. Other inert gases, such as argon, helium, neon and krypton, are adapted for use in place of nitrogen but for their cost. The inert gases are believed to be swept aside by the depolarizing chlorine, due to the wetting preference of the chlorine for a porous cathode portion as compared to the wetting of such cathode by the inert gas. The inert gas may or may not be evacuated before introduction of the chlorine. Due to the large space into which the nitrogen may be driven it is not necessary to remove the main body of inert gas before activation of the battery.

What is claimed is:

1. In a method of treating a deferred action, gas depolarized type dry cell having a porous cathode provided with a wet mix portion in which the gaseous depolarizer enters into aqueous solution and a. drier porous cathode diffuser portion into which the depolarizing gas enters largely before it contacts with the moisture in the wet mix portion of the cathode, said method including storing said cell in an atmosphere of an inert gas prior to its activation, the combination therewith of the improvement for increasing the output of said cell which comprises flushing out any gas pockets of inert gas from the cathode diffuser portion by flowing depolarizing gas in a stream through said diffuser portion on activation of said cell.

2. In a gas depolarized dry cell having an enclosing casing, a porous carbon cathode in two parts one of which is a wet mix in which the depolarizing gas enters into aqueous solution and the other portion is a drier conductive portion through the pores of which the depolarizing gas is diffused before being taken up by said wet mix portion, the combination therewith of the improvement for enhancing the cell output capacity which comprises fluid guide bafiles be- 4 tween the cell and casing to prevent depolarizing gas entering the porous cathode portion on all sides for directing the depolarizing gas through said difiuser portion in a moving stream whereby any dead pockets of gas are flushed out.

3. In a thin, fiat, deferred action, gas depolarized, dry cell having a porous carbon cathode in two parts, one of which is a wet mix portion in which the depolarizing gas enters into aqueous solution and the other one of which is a porous conductive portion through which the depolarizing gas is difiused before being taken up by said wet mix portion, an enclosing casing for said cell, a supply pipe for depolarizing material leading into said casing, the combination therewith of the improvement for increasing the output of said cell and the uniformity of anode corrosion, said improvement comprising a compartment within said casing into which the depolarizing gas is supplied for contact with some edge portions of the cell, a second compartment within said casing also in contact with other edge portions of the cell, and baffle means contacting a flat side of said cell for separating the said two compartments whereby any inert gas in which said cell may be stored prior to activation will be flushed out of said first compartment and the porous portionof the cathode by depolarizing gas under pressure into said second compartment.

4. A cell according to claim 3 in which said first compartment is radially within a substantially circular cell and the second compartment is radially outside of said cell, the flow of depolarizing gas under pressure being radially outward.

5. In a method of treating a deferred action gas depolarized type dry cell having a cathode provided with a wet-mix portion in which the depolarizing gas enters into solution and a drier and more porous diffuser portion into which some of the depolarizing gas enters before it contacts with moisture in said wet-mix portion, said method including storing said cell in an atmosphere of inert gas prior to its activation, the combination therewith of the improvement for increasing the efliciency of said cell, said improvement including flushing out inert gas from said diffuser portion on activation of the cell by flowing the depolarizing gas through said difiuser at a higher pressure than said inert gas.

6. A method according to claim 5 in which the depolarizing gas flows generally radially through said diffuser portion.

7. A method according to claim 6 in which said radial flow of depolarizing gas is outward from a central part of said difiuser portion.

8. A method according to claim 5 in which the removed inert gas is retained under higher pressure in a casing around said cell than the pressure of the inert gas before activation of the cell.

9. A method according to claim 5 in which said inert gas is to a substantial extent evacuated from said diffuser portion before any remaining pockets of the inert gas are flushed out by said depolarizing gas.

10. A method according to claim 5 in which the inert gas is nitrogen and the depolarizing gas is chlorine.

11. In a gas depolarized cell having an enclosing casing spaced from said cell on at least one side thereof, an anode, a two-part cathode, one part being a wet-mix cake into which depolarizing gas is adapted to go into solution, another part of the cathode being a porous diffuser portion from a face of which contiguous the wetmix cake depolarizing gas may contact said wet-' mix cake, means whereby an inert gas may be supplied to said casing and difiuser portion prior to activation of the cell, and means whereby depolarizing gas may be supplied to said cell when it is ready for activation, the combination therewith of the improvement for enhancing the emciency of said cell and rendering the corrosion pattern on the anode more nearly uniform, said improvement including said depolarizing gas being under higher pressure than the inert gas in said casing, and a bafile located to insure move:

ment of the depolarizing gas through all parts of the diffuser whereby said depolarizing gas may flush out inert gas from all parts of said diffuser.

12. A cell according to claim 11 in which the flushed out inert gas is retained within said casing under higher pressure than it was under prior to activation of the cell.

13. A cell according to claim 11 in which the depolarizing gas path through said difiuser portion is generally radial.

14. A cell according to claim 13 in which said depolarizing gas path is radially outward.

6 15. A cell according to claim 12 in which said flushed out inert gas is contiguous a portion of the casing.

MARCUS R. HATFIELD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

1. IN A METHOD OF TREATING A DEFERRED ACTION, GAS DEPOLARIZED TYPE DRY CELL HAVING A POROUS CATHODE PROVIDED WITH A WET MIX PORTION IN WHICH THE GASEOUS DEPOLARIZER ENTERS INTO AQUEOUS SOLUTION AND A DRIER POROUS CATHODE DIFFUSER PORTION INTO WHICH THE DEPOLARIZING GAS ENTERS LARGELY BEFORE IT CONTACTS WITH THE MOISTURE IN THE WET MIX PORTION OF THE CATHODE, SAID METHOD INCLUDING STORING SAID CELL IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF AN INERT GAS PRIOR TO ITS ACTIVATION, THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF THE IMPROVEMENT FOR INCREASING THE OUTPUT OF SAID CELL WHICH COMPRISES FLUSHING OUT ANY GAS POCKETS OF INERT GAS FROM THE CATHODE DIFFUSER PORTION BY FLOWING DEPOLARIZING GAS IN A STREAM THROUGH SAID DIFFUSER PORTION ON ACTIVATION OF SAID CELL. 